Bill would withhold pay from feds held in contempt of Congress

Apr. 21, 2014 - 04:25PM
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Any federal employee found in contempt of Congress would not be paid, under legislation introduced April 15 by Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Texas.

The Contempt Act would direct federal officials to not pay any federal employee found in contempt of Congress – in a full vote by either the House or the Senate – for as long as the employee is in contempt.

Farenthold, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee with jurisdiction over the federal workforce, said in a press release the bill would apply to federal officials such as Attorney General Eric Holder. The House voted him in contempt of Congress in 2012.

“The American people should not be footing the bill for federal employees who stonewall Congress or rewarding government officials’ bad behavior,” Farenthold said.

The legislation would not affect retirement benefits or payments for retired federal employees.